Duterte-Carpio says Velasco asked for help in speakership issue as HNP head

October 12, 2020

DAVAO CITY – Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco visited her last Friday to seek her support over the speakership of the Lower House.

“He intimated that there will be a speakership vote and he sought for my help, as the chairperson of HNP (Hugpong Ng Pagbabago), with regard to the votes of the three HNP Congressmen from Davao Region,” Duterte-Carpio said in a statement on Monday.

“I told him that HNP was created to propel unity and development in Davao Region and assist the administration of President Duterte,” she said.

She said she “emphasized” with Velasco HNP would respect term-sharing agreement as ordered by the President last year and “reiterated” to Velasco “that the party supports Presidential Proclamation 1027”.

The proclamation, issued by Duterte last Friday, ordered Congress to convene for a special session from October 13-16 to approved the proposed P4.5 trillion national budget for 2021.

The mayor issued the statement after a social media post showed her and Velasco here. She had returned from week-long medical leave. DMS